Geoffrey Mosiria has accused Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja of sidelining him for nearly three years, alleging that their fallout began in December 2023 when he lost key responsibilities in the county’s Health Department.
In a strongly worded statement following his removal as Chief Officer for Public Participation, Citizen Engagement and Customer Service, Mosiria claimed that his latest dismissal merely formalised what he described as an earlier decision to strip him of his authority at City Hall.
“Thank you, my boss, for making my sacking official,” Mosiria said, directly addressing Sakaja.
He alleged that on December 28, 2023, the governor withdrew his constitutionally assigned mandate as an accounting officer and transferred the responsibilities to junior officers through what he described as an unprocedural memorandum.
Mosiria further claimed that the budget for his health docket was reduced from KSh1.2 billion to KSh100 million, alleging that the move followed his refusal to facilitate direct procurement arrangements that he said would favour individuals close to the governor and county contractors.
The allegations have not been independently verified. Sakaja and the Nairobi County Government have not publicly responded to the specific claims in Mosiria’s latest statement.
Claims of procurement pressure and administrative sidelining
Mosiria claimed that his disagreements with Sakaja escalated after he resisted what he described as pressure to participate in procurement arrangements favouring people around the governor.
He said evidence of the alleged confrontation was available from a WhatsApp conference call involving Sakaja and his Chief of Staff, Osman Khalifa.
The former chief officer did not provide the full details of the alleged procurement arrangements in his statement. The claims could not be independently established from the available information.
Mosiria said he was subsequently transferred to the Environment Department, where he alleged that his director reported directly to Sakaja, leaving him without meaningful responsibilities.
Rather than remain idle in his office, he said he chose to lead street operations that he believed should have been handled by junior officers, insisting that he still wanted to serve Nairobi residents.
He also cited attacks in official WhatsApp groups, public criticism and calls for his resignation as some of the challenges he endured during his time in the county administration.
Mosiria links court case to alleged efforts to push him out
Mosiria further alleged that a court case over alleged contempt of court nearly resulted in him being jailed for six months.
He claimed the proceedings were part of efforts to force him out of office, although he did not provide independently verified evidence establishing that the case had been orchestrated for that purpose.
He said he was later transferred to the Public Participation, Citizen Engagement and Customer Service docket, where he remained until the county announced changes affecting his position on Wednesday, October 21.
According to Mosiria, his attempts to resolve his grievances through direct engagement with Sakaja were unsuccessful.
He said his last substantive meeting with the governor took place on December 28, 2023, at Sakaja’s private office in Riverside, adding that subsequent calls and messages seeking an audience had largely gone unanswered.
“Since then, my grievances have gone unheard, and I have never had a fair opportunity to discuss them with you,” he said.
Warns of possible court case
In his latest statement, Mosiria also claimed he had received information that a court case was being prepared against him, allegedly with the intention of having him jailed.
He did not provide documentary evidence to substantiate the claim, and it remains unclear whether any such proceedings are being contemplated.
“I hope Nairobi people know who belongs to jail and who should serve them,” he said.
The allegation adds another dimension to the increasingly public fallout between the former chief officer and his boss, although no evidence presented in the statement establishes that Sakaja is preparing a case against him.
Sacking follows declaration of 2027 gubernatorial bid
Mosiria’s removal came days after he announced his intention to challenge Sakaja for the Nairobi governorship in the 2027 General Election.
A county circular dated October 21, 2026, signed by County Secretary and Head of Public Service Machel Waikenda, reassigned responsibilities previously held by Mosiria to Zipporah Njeri Mwangi in an acting capacity.
The circular cited sections 44(3)(a), 45(5) and 64 of the County Governments Act, 2012, and stated that the changes took effect immediately. It did not give a specific reason for Mosiria’s removal or clarify whether he would be assigned another role.
The timing of the changes has drawn attention because Mosiria had only recently declared his political ambitions. However, the county notice does not establish that his gubernatorial bid was the reason for the decision.
In an interview published by the Daily Nation on October 19, Mosiria had already accused Sakaja of sidelining him following disagreements over public funds and service delivery. He said the withdrawal of his accounting officer responsibilities in the Health Department marked the beginning of their strained relationship.
The governor’s office has not publicly addressed the specific allegations raised in Mosiria’s latest statement.
‘I never gave up on Nairobi’
Despite his grievances, Mosiria said he remained committed to serving Nairobi residents and was ready to pursue his political ambitions.
He said his intention was not to fight Sakaja but to address what he described as weaknesses in the county’s systems and improve service delivery.
“Today, I am humbled that Nairobi residents are calling upon me to serve them as their governor,” he said.
Mosiria added that he had endured the challenges in the county administration while hoping for an opportunity to work and regain the governor’s trust.
His dismissal now places his future in the county administration in question as he prepares for a potential political contest against the governor he once served.
The central issues remain whether the allegations over budget allocations, procurement pressure and administrative interference can be substantiated, and whether the county government will provide its account of the dispute.
